6 positive changes that happen when you start being authentic in your business

The opinions expressed by entrepreneurs contributors are their own.

You've heard so much about it that you probably think it's a buzzword. It shouldn't be. As many as 88% of consumers consider this important when deciding which brands to support.

And by authenticity, I mean a real alignment between your internal sense of yourself and how you express it or show it to your audience. For example, here's what authenticity might look like in your business:

Ensure that your values ​​are not limited to one website section: your audience should feel them every time they interact with you Engage with your community and get the most out of Use photographs that capture your personality rather than staged corporate images Be self-aware and reflect as a leader

Unfortunately, many brands promote authenticity, but few embrace it. Not completely, at least. After all, it's much more comfortable to hide behind a character and imitate what our competitors are doing.

So I can't blame you if you keep telling yourself you're going to be more authentic but you're too scared to try.

However, while it may take some getting used to, I promise you: the benefits are worth it!

Related: Authentic Leadership: What It Is and Why It Matters

1. You will attract an audience that will understand you and share your values

Why do so many entrepreneurs avoid presenting themselves authentically? In my experience, it's mainly because they're afraid of appealing to fewer people. In fact, by hiding who you are in hopes of being liked more, you miss those who would be obsessed with you!

I'm living proof. When I started out as a wedding photographer, I went with a traditional sounding name and a traditional white and gray palette. It couldn't be further from my personality. I just did what I thought my audience wanted and surprise, I ended up attracting… the most traditional brides.

After switching to personal brand photography for women entrepreneurs and presenting myself authentically, I began to attract female clients who, like me, embraced the bright colors and eccentricity. Customers who are cheerful, creative and fun to work with.

If you're a service provider, collaborating with your type of people will make every business day better. For product-focused companies, this will mean a loyal army of self-proclaimed brand ambassadors, especially on social media.

2. You'll cut out all white noise

copy full of buzzwords, stuffy photos, the same blog posts your competitors write… looking and sounding like everyone else in our industry makes us feel safe. But why should our audience choose us over the rest?

When you start presenting yourself authentically, on the contrary, you can catch their attention. Dare to make your B2B website less boring, impress your audience with vibrant color images, write articles that bring something new to your industry, etc.

3. You will build trust more easily

Put yourself in the shoes of the audience of your dreams. You spot sustainability in a "our values" section, and then you find a lot of single-use plastic in actual products. You've read that a company is supposed to be a fun family, but all of its images involve awkward employees in rigid postures.

Hard to trust them, right? The problem with fake authenticity is that customers can see through it, especially Gen Z.

When your marketing actually backs up your claims, it will be easier for your audience to trust you.

Related: 3 Ways to Use Authenticity to Build Customer Loyalty

4. You'll make real connections and inspire others

Authenticity can be downright terrifying at first! It makes us feel vulnerable and exposed. Maybe that's why you always cling to that flawless business personality who always looks flawless and never makes mistakes.

But guess what? People buy people, just like imperfect real-life humans! When you start showing yourself for who you are, you will make more meaningful connections. Your authenticity can even inspire others (employees, customers, followers... you name them) to do the same.

For example, many businesswomen keep delaying their shots because they feel incredibly embarrassed to be photographed. Well, I'm not the most confident person either, and I'm not the perfect size either. Rather than hide, however, I k...